Poor In Pocket, Rich In Love
by Xenolord
Summary: My name is Binbou Marisa. Everyone at school calls me Poor-chan. That is... everyone except one... PoorchanxMami fluff. Chappy 3 is up. There's doom and gloom while things go boom...
1. Part One: My Name is Binbou

Disclaimer: I don't own shit.

Author's Note: If NO ONE knows who Binbou-chan is, look up the character 'Poorfag' on the Madoka Magica Wiki. In episode 4, a character is seen two seats behind Homura who is using pen and paper while everyone else is using a very high-tech (And consequently expensive) laptop. There are people (myself included) who believe that Binbou-chan is the answer to Mami's loneliness.

Poor In Pocket, Rich In Love

Part One: "My Name is Binbou"

The teacher's talking about love again... I can tell that much just by looking at her disposition. I can't really hear her over the growling in my stomach. I push the growling to the back of my mind, trying to pretend like I haven't eaten all day, I just continue to scribble on my notebook, trying to pretend like I was listening to the teacher. Usually, I stalk about the cafeteria at lunch and steal scraps from plates when people are away, or unaware. Today, I don't think I'll be so lucky. Hitmoi and Sayaka... two girls in my class, are talking and I don't think they've got plans for lunch... they are talking about meeting with someone.

My stomach growls again, and I use my free hand to massage my empty stomach stealthily, hoping no one would notice and ask. My eyes glance across the room, past the empty seat in front of me and to the back of the head of the girl at the front of the row. She's a creepy sort, but not on a scary scale. I find a few more of my classmates engrossed in the lesson at hand. I steal a look to my right, peering through the glass wall to the class beside us, everyone engrossed in their own lessons as well. As I make a final note in my notebook, I give a great sigh.

-After Class-

I step out of class and walk arbitrarily towards the cafeteria. It's a torturous decision, I know; but I couldn't bear the ridicule of being 'Poor-chan' anymore. I had to at least _look _like I could afford lunch. I sat in a booth in the corner, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention from anyone, setting my little notebook on the table and beginning my second passion, writing.

_Dear Mother in Heaven..._ I had begun another letter to my deceased mother, no intention of sending them, nor any address to do it. _School has been going good for me. So long as I do my work, the teacher doesn't mind me dozing off, or looking distant..._ My letters had tapered off in recent weeks, nothing really interesting to tell my Mother, if she even ever read these. Something overshadowed my page, a dark figure standing over me, something in it's hands.

"Are you Binbou Marisa?" The voice droned over me. I was suddenly filled with horror. Anytime anyone started off with that, it was usually ended in some horrible joke.

"Y-yes..." I stammered out, hiding my face from the girl. "Can I... help you?" The other figure, one of a woman I could tell by her voice, chuckled.

"No. You can't. But I thought you could use someone to talk to." She paused. "Do you mind if I sit?"

"N-no..." I muttered, still staring at the table. "No, go right a-ahead..." I was bracing for the enevitable joke about being so poor I couldn't afford to pay attention to the person.

"Why are you hiding from me?" The voice continued, the sound of a tray being set down following suit. "Come on, Binbou-chan. Look at me." I slowly looked up, expecting to see one of the mean, popular girls who tormented me. The face that greeted me was a smiling blond visage of a girl I hardly ever knew. I have seen her once or twice, through the glass wall into the higher classroom beside us. I didn't know her name at all, the fact she knew mine very surprising. "There. That's better. Can't go around hiding that pretty face forever, you know."

"S-stop it..." I muttered, feeling my face get warm as blood flooded my cheeks. "Don't say things that aren't t-true..." The girl laughed at split the pair of wooden chopsticks perfectly down the middle.

"I never say anything that isn't true." She paused for a moment. "You must have eaten fast. Lunch just started... I suppose if you get here early enough, you-" I muttered something that she couldn't hear, but the act of me speaking broke her sentence. "I'm sorry? I didn't catch that."

"I said I haven't eaten." I responded slowly, cursing to myself for spilling something so secret to someone I've never met.

"Well, you better hurry up if you're going to, the line is-"

"I can't afford it..." I continued, feeling tears welling in my eyes. The girl across from me realized my situation and gave a sorrowful frown.

"I'm sorry... that was insensitive of me..." The girl droned, looking at her own tray, ladened with delicacies from around the world. She gave a little smile and started dividing her tray up, sliding half of it to me. "Here, we'll split."

"O-oh, I couldn't! I couldn't ask you-" She cut me off with those piercing yellow eyes.

"You're not asking. I'm offering. Eat up." She placed the chopsticks at the edges of one of the bowls she slid to me, taking a small metal fork from her bag. I stared at the food before me, my stomach roaring in demand to be fed. Slowly, I took the chopsticks and gripped a piece of chicken between them, putting it in my mouth. The small snacks I could hardly afford on a semi-regular basis was nothing compared to this, a feast on all accounts. "There you go. Eat up, you'll like it."

Restraint. That's the only way I could describe the force that kept me from shoveling everything the nice, strange woman had put before me down my gullet into the void that was my stomach. I ate slowly, pacing myself along with the woman, and when it was over, I was left with two distinctly different emotions. The first was joy at having a full stomach for the first time in a while, and the second was a desire for more. When it was finished, she offered a smile and asked for nothing in return.

"Th-thank you..." I mused, giving a little nod in her direction. "That was... delicious."

"Think nothing of it."

"I... don't even know your name, and you're so kind to me... you have no reason to be nice to me... The others..."

"Aye, you're right. I have no reason to be nice to you. But I've less reason to be cruel to you." She gave a little smile to me and held out her hand. "Tomoe Mami... it's a pleasure to meet you, Binbou-san."

"S-san...?" I questioned, feeling a little strange to be seen as an equal by anyone. "No one... calls me that."

"What do people call you?" I paused for a moment before answering.

"P-Poor-chan..." The woman's reaction was instant and concise.

"That's horrible!" I shook my head, giving a little 'um uhm'.

"But it's t-true..."

"True or not, people don't need to be cruel. You may be less fortunate then the rest of us, but that doesn't make you less of a person then those brown-nosers." It was at this point the dreaded popular girls showed their faces.

"Hey, Poor-chan!" One bellowed, her little entourage of delinquents in tow. "How was your lunch of sorrow and despair?" Before I could answer, Mami stood from her seat and confronted them.

"Hey, Princess Bitchy. Why don't you leave Binbou-san alone, huh?" The girl scoffed at this, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh? Who are you then, her, like, girlfriend?" Mami laughed a little, twirling her fingers around one of the cute spindles that dangled off the side of her head.

"Yea... yea, that's cute, real original." Like lightning she struck, wrapping her knuckles around the girl's collar pulling her closer. "I'll make this real simple for you, Chuckle-Nuts. Either you go away, and leave poor Binbou-san alone, or I'll take it upon my self to correct the mistake that God made when he created you, and turn your face into the worse Piccasso painting this side of the Louve." Shaking her once, she released her. "Got it, 'girlfriend'?" Stumbling back, the girl found comfort beside her friends.

"How dare you! Do you know who my daddy is?"

"If he's smart, he'll tell you the same thing I told you." Mami rebuttled instantly. "Now get out of here before you make me really loose my temper." Giving a scoff, the girls retreated to their little table to bicker and replay that out with the added hope of having more spine. I couldn't help but watch the entire display laid out so bare before me. Someone stuck up for me... someone actually stuck up for _me_. I was flabbergasted, and couldn't speak for the longest time. When words finally found me, I could only bow sheepishly.

"T-thank you, Tomoe-san..." I blathered, finding the words to thank her.

"No need. People like that don't have the right to live." I stood and bowed again, suddenly remembering I had class.

"I... I have to get to class. I'm sorry for cutting this short, but... I have to finish my homework. Thank you for lunch, again..."

"Any time." She looked down, her eyes falling upon my skirt. "You've got a tear in your skirt..."

"I..." I began, looking down to where I had caught my skirt on a nail a few days ago. "I tore it on a loose nail the other day. It's okay, I borrowed the teacher's stapler to fix it! See, good as new!" I showed her the patch job I did on my skirt, proud of my staplery (It is too a word!).

"Don't take this the wrong way, Binbou-san, but that looks horrible." I sighed, knowing it was true.

"I know... but what can I do?"

"Did you ask your mother if she could fix it for you?" I felt tears welling in my eyes. "Oh no, did I hit another nerve... I'm sorry!"

"No... it's okay... I-I never knew my mother... she died when I was real young." Mami piqued an eyebrow.

"Where do you live right now?" She asked. Shuffling my weight between my two feet a little, I debated about answering the question truthfully.

"Tenth and Allegory..." Mami ran this through her head for a moment before the realization hit her.

"Tenth and Allegory... is right in the middle of a slew of abandoned buildings..."

"..." I couldn't think of a retort to this, simply nodding.

"We can't have that..." Taking a piece of paper from her backpack, she scribbled on it hastily with a pen. "This is my address. Come by after school, and I'll not only fix your skirt for you, but I'll give you a warm bed to sleep on tonight."

"Oh, Tomoe-san... I couldn't ask..."

"Again. You're not asking. I'm telling you. I expect you to show up, because if you don't, I'll hunt you down and tie you to the spare bed." I felt a pang of guilt at this as she stood, and put the address in my hand. "See you tonight." I nodded and bowed as she gathered her stuff and left.

-That Night; After School-

I had found Tomoe's apartment with no hassle, the sun dying slowly in the sky above me. I gave two little, timid knocks on the door, which would be answered a few seconds later by Tomoe herself, smiling and inviting me in. "Thank you for inviting me over, Tomoe-san..."

"Please, call me Mami." I tried to find my voice, but just couldn't. "Here, lemme see that skirt of yours, and I'll fix it up.

"Oh... uh..." I grappled at the fringes of my skirt. "I... don't have anything to change into..."

"It's okay, you'll have it back in a few." My cheeks flared red again as I re-iterated my point.

"_I don't have anything to change into..._" Mami's eyes trailed across me, and she nodded.

"Ah. I see..." I hope my meaning got through to her. This is, literally, the only set of clothes I own. I didn't even own any underwear. Mami stood and walked to a side room, probably her room. There came the sound of drawers opening and closing. "Here." She spoke, coming back with some neatly folded clothes, handing them to me.

"Oh... I-" Before I could finish, I remembered how she had responded last time, and simply took the clothes.

"You can use the bathroom to chance, and take a shower if you wish. Also, hand me your blouse as well. Just in case there is other damage." I nodded and followed her instructions to the bathroom, handing her my uniform between the doorcrack, proceeding to take a nice, warm shower.

I hadn't had a shower in god knows when. The last time I had felt water against my skin was during the rainstorm last week, but that could barely be considered a 'shower' in any terms, as the storm only lasted forty minutes, and I was only in it for the last ten. Refreshed from my shower, I dried myself and dressed in the clothes Mami had given me, the shirt and pants a little big, but I couldn't complain too loudly. Stepping out, I found Mami setting a small table with dishes and a tea cup.

"Oh, how do you feel?" She asked as she acknowledged my presence.

"Good...thank you. I... I haven't had a shower in a while... It's okay... since I don't have any friends anyway. I suppose my smell is just another thing people use to stay away from me..."

"I don't have any friends either, you know." Mami muttered.

"What? That's not right... you're beautiful, talanted and smart! Why don't you have any friends?" Mami smiled and poured something into one of the cups, offering me a seat.

"I just don't have time to make connections. I suppose, in that regard, it's my own fault." She paused for a moment as I took a seat. "Come to think of it... I'm real lonely myself..." She took a sip from her cup and wiped her eyes with a napkin. If I didn't know better, I thought she had done it to banish tears.

"We're a lot alike in that area... Everyone in my class talks before and after... they all have plans after school... and I just go home to my little 'house' and settle down one the cold concrete..." I paused, not wanting to bother her with this. "I'm sorry, that was out of line."

"You know, Binbou-san... you and I are a lot alike." I laughed a little, looking around her apartment.

"No offense, Mami-san but you and I are hardly similar. You've got looks... a nice apartment... a guaranteed meal every day..."

"But we're both very lonely girls." Mami responded, sipping from her tea. "I didn't invite you over just to fix your skirt... I was hoping we could talk; get to know each other. Who knows? Maybe become friends or..." She shook her head. "I don't know, really." She took a small knife from before her and sliced a sliver of cake, handing it to me on a plate. "I guess what I want to say is... you may be poor in your pockets, Binbou-san... and I may be rich... but we both have something the other needs. Companionship." I smiled to Mami and took the plate, the cake looking mouthwatering on it's alabaster plate.

"You know what, Mami-san...?" I smiled, standing and walking around the table to her. "I would like that very much." Crouching beside her, I gave her a hug, a soft hand touching my shoulder as she smiled. Placing a glass bowl over the cake, she stood me up, following suit.

"Well, no sense in us just sitting here, is there?" She smiled as I pulled out of the hug.

As I sat there, hugging a woman who I only met at lunch today, I felt something I've not felt my whole life. The feelings of hatred to myself disintegrated, leaving only Mami's kind words. The concerns of everyone around me vanished, replaced by only the need to be next to Mami. And for the first time in my life... I felt human.


	2. Part Two: Bitter Tea and Sweet Kisses

Author's Note: Chapter Two is dedicated to Electric Eclectic. Ask, and ye shall receive.

Part Two: "Bitter Tea and Sweet Kisses"

I had awoken the next morning to the smell of breakfast cooking in the adjacent room. The bed I found myself in was not the cardboard mat and ragged newspaper blankets I had grown accustomed to my whole life, and the feel of the silk sheets on my body and soft pillow at my head was a most welcome change. Lazily looking over, I spied the empty void in the bed that looked as though it once held a person. I ran the events of last night though my head as clearly as I could, small little visages of the night before started playing slowly in my mind. An invitation from an upperclassmen... delicious cake and tea... and...

"Oh my stars..." I spoke to myself, remembering her fingers caressing my skin...

"Are you awake in there, Binbou-san?" Came the voice of the aforementioned upperclassmen from the adjacent room, the sound of eggs cooking a soft ensemble to her angelic voice. My heart skipped a beat and tried to jump out of my chest through my throat at her call. Steadying myself, I responded in the most dignified manner possible.

"Y-yea... Yea, I'm up." Okay, not dignified at all, I know, but it was a confirmation in the slightest.

"Well, stop lazing around in bed, and come get some breakfast, silly." Came her voice once more. Breakfast... the word itself was alien to me, but not the meaning. Food. Something to settle my stomach. Throwing the covers off of me, I stood, planting my warm feet on the cold floor, causing a little shiver to course up my spine. Pushing up, I struggled to a standing position, fighting the cracking of my bones and shuffling into the other room. Instead of the dull, cold steel of the slums I had grown so accustomed to, I was surprised to see a small little table decked out in all manner of food for the morning meal, a cute blond with bed-head and baggy pajamas setting the meal upon the table, a smile hanging lazily off her lips. "Good morning, Binbou-san." She grinned to me as she noticed my arrival, motioning me to a cushion next to her on the floor. "Come, have a seat next to me." Sitting herself on one of the pillows, she took a plate from the stack and placed one before herself, and one before the spot next to her. Still waking up from my sleep, I shuffled over and knelt on the cushion, situating myself next to her.

"Good morning, M-Mami-san..." I groaned, rubbing my eye with a lazy hand, banishing the sleep from them. Giving a great yawn, I stretched in place happily. "How'd you sleep?" Mami gave a content smile and poured us tea from the pot before her.

"I slept really well, with your heartbeat as my pillow." She responded coyly, small wisps of smoke rising from the scalding liquid that was poured into the intricately decorated cup before me. Placing the tea pot back upon it's coaster, she put her head on my shoulders, sighing. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better then I have in forever. Thank you... for everything." Giving a chuckle, she returned to the food, serving it upon my plate first with a nod.

"Think nothing of it, Binbou-san." She answered, picking up the chopsticks at the side of my plate, putting them in my hand. "Eat up, you'll need your strength for school today." Nodding, I started to pick at the food on the plate, not wanting to shovel it down into my stomach, restraining myself like last time. I glanced over at the clock mounted just over the window before us, the hands staring taunting me with no knowledge how to read them.

"M-Mami-san... what time is it?" Mami laughed a little and turned her own attention to the clock.

"How about... I teach you how to read it, hm?" She responded, pointing to the spherical demon upon the wall. "The short hand there is the hour hand... and the long hand is the minute hand. Each number on the clock face represents an hour in the day, and when the minute hand passes them, it's five minutes." She spoke slowly, instructing me with her patient, caring voice. With this information, I struggled, the numbers starting to form in my head.

"Seven... eighteen?" I asked, the smile on Mami's face adding to my resolve.

"Very good. Yes, it's seven eighteen. We'll have to leave for school by eight twenty to make it there by nine." She turned both of our attentions back to the warm food before us. "Which means you need to eat up! It'll get cold before you know it." We spent the next twenty minutes passing with idle conversation, broken up by the occasional introduction of food into our mouths.

The tea that filled our cups was one from a distant land, England, Mami told me. Expensive to import, but very much worth the cost, as she put it. It had a unique flavor, slightly bitter, that much I could tell you, but perhaps of a bit an acquired taste in itself. Filled from breakfast, I moved from my seat to see if I could collect my uniform.

"Need something, Binbou-san?" Mami mused as she collected the breakfast dishes, placing them in the warm water in the sink to soak.

"Did you ever get around to fix my uniform, Mami-san? Hate to sound selfish, but I can hardly go to school like this."

"Of course. It was a simple fix, one that required little time to correct. Here, let me get it out of the dryer for you."

"You... washed it, too?"

"Of course, silly!" She responded, the sound of water running punctuating her sentence. "It was smelly and filthy, what was I supposed to do?" Returning to watch her, I protested the best I could.

"Mami-san, you didn't have to do that! I... don't mind wearing it like that! You shouldn't have to do more then you need."

"You know, you're right." She opened a small hatch under the counter, taking my school uniform from within, handing it to me. "I've not done as much as I should have, Binbou-san. Here, go get changed, then I'll change after I do the dishes." As a second thought, she spoke up again. "Oh, one moment, Binbou-san. Since I noticed you lack certain... appropriate clothing, I found something I think you can make use of..." She retreated to her room, the same bedroom I had awoken in earlier, and returned moments later with her hands behind her back. "Tell me, Binbou-san..." She started. "Blue?" From behind her back, in her left hand, was a pair of blue and white striped panties and a half-top bra, dangling lazily as if they belonged there. "Or pink?" From behind her back once more, in her right hand, came a matching pair of panties and half-top bra, this one pink. I felt my cheeks flash red in embarrassment as I stared at the underwear present.

"M-M-Mami-san!" I blurted out, taken aback by the sudden presentation. "Now you really didn't have to!"

"You know... I think you'd look cute in the pink... wouldn't you agree?"

"Mami-san, you're embarrassing me!" I stumbled about for words for a few seconds, my cheeks still hot with an unneeded blush. "Just... just give me the pink..." Mami smiled at my hurried response, handing me the pink underwear from her right hand, her lips broadening at the state of my face.

"I'll just put the other sets in the bottom drawer for tomorrow, or whenever you feel like wearing them." My blush deepened.

"'Sets'? As in... more then the two?"

"Of course, silly. I can't have you going to school ever day commando style. Yes, 'sets' as in more then one. You're going to be coming back here after school, I assume?"

"Well... no. I hadn't planned on it. Why would I do that? I don't want to burden you farther, Mami-san."

"Burden?" Mami sputtered, hardly believing what her ears were telling her. "Binbou-san, you are NOT a burden, why would you think that?"

"Well... I'm a useless person, just living off your generosity..." Mami's face turned sour at this, her trademark smile vanishing for the first time since I met her.

"Binbou Marisa, you are not useless, alright? I will not suffer that kind of talk in my presence." She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back in a motherly fashion. "You hear me? You are not useless." Her last words were spoken more out of kindness then anything, my being this close to her brought a smile to my own face.

"Okay... okay, I admit it. I'm not useless." Mami gave a confirmatory nod of her head and a little 'hmph' of approval.

"Good. Glad to hear it." She turned me around and gave my butt a light slap. "Now, go get changed for school." My blush deepened at the introduction of her hand to my rear. Slipping into the bathroom, uniform and underwear in hand, I slowly stripped off the sleep clothes I had worn previously, folding them nicely upon the cabinet. Dressing slowly, I had paused several times to take in the feel of freshly laundered clothes upon my body. The introduction of a bra was... disturbing at first, but I suppose I could get used to it. I don't have what one would call 'large' breasts, but sometimes it was tricky to keep them contained, a job I no longer had to concern myself with. I spied myself in the mirror, my hair a right mess.

"M-Mami-san?" I called out through the door, still staring at my reflection.

"Hm?" Her response came very close.

"Do... do you have a brush I could borrow? My hair looks horrible..." I pulled at my golden-brown locks with a finger, feeling the dirt and grime between my fingers, I mentally swore to myself for not thinking of this last night. I can't believe I let Mami sleep so close to me with a veritable colony of refuse practically multiplying in my head.

"Yes, there should be a few lying on the counter there, just pick one." She answered slowly, her words punctuated by what sounded like sipping. Stripping my clothes off once more, I snatched the shampoo bottle from the tub, turned the water on the bath faucet, and thrusting my grimy head under the water, grumbling to myself as my hands rubbed the water through my hair vigorously. Sitting up, I uncapped the bottle of shampoo as water cascaded down my back and chest, rolling with a cold chill down my legs and butt. Pouring a generous amount of the shampoo into my hands, I started massaging it through my head, pretending to hear the dying cries of millions of tiny dirt particles as they are washed clean in my righteous frothy rage. After I was convinced I had washed most, if not all of the dirt from my hair, I stumbled and felt about the bathroom (I was temporarily blinded by the water) for a towel to dry my hair. Stumbling across one, I threw it over my head and rubbed hard, scrubbing the soap and last bits of grime away.

Looking back at my reflection, I was taken aback by what was presented before me. My hair, once a dirty blonde, damn near brown, was now a shimmering, glistening yellow gold. I had so much dirt and grime in my scalp, that my hair had quite literally changed colors. I redressed and then took the hair brush to my hair, keeping it tidy and straight across my head. Satisfied that I looked better, I exited the bathroom feeling clean, refreshed, and dressed.

"Much better!" Mami greeted me, pouring a cup of tea into my porcilain cup once more. "You sit here and have a cup of tea, and I'll go get changed myself." She looked up at the clock and gave a satisfied nod. "Right on time, too." I sat myself down where I had eaten breakfast and started sipping my tea slowly, happy to have something to sooth my dry throat. Mami had spent no more then a few minutes in the bathroom before emerging fully dressed, her hair pulled into those cute drills I loved so much.

Love. It's rather hard for me to believe that I had fallen for this woman after such a short time knowing her. I mean... I know girls are supposed to like boys... but boys were always mean to me, calling me 'Smelly-chan' and 'Grime Girl' all the time... Mami was the first person who was ever nice to me, ever thought that underneath all that dirt... and past all that sadness, there might be a person under all that, who needs all the same base things everyone else does, and among those base needs; perhaps the most base of all, is love. Mami had told me last night that she had no friends. At first, I couldn't believe it; a beautiful, rich, reserved girl like her, having no friends? But now I see how it's possible. Money can't buy friends, and when you're as pretty as she is, you have to choose who you associate with. Or maybe she doesn't care about what others think of her? After her conversation with me yesterday, I'm more likely to believe that.

"Binbou-san?" Her question broke my train of thought once more, the beautiful blond staring at me with those lovely amber eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes... yes, sorry. I was... thinking. Did you need something?"

"I just asked how you thought I looked."

"Divine." I responded, the blush returning to my cheeks.

"Oh..." Mami answered back, sharing a bit in my cheek coloration. "W-well... thank you." I had managed to make her stagger in her speech... should I be proud of that? Is there anything in that to even be proud of? Mami was always so sure of herself when she spoke, almost like she anticipated every outcome of every conversation she'd ever had. Did my answer not fit in with her little script? I smiled at the thought. "Well... anyway... is there anything else you'd like before we go to school? If we can leave early, we might beat the rush..."

"Could I... be selfish for just a moment?" Mami smiled and nodded to me, her cheeks returning to their usual pale. I stood and dusted my rear off politely, walking slowly to her, running through my head the course of action I was going to take. '_Just kiss her and get it over with, Binbou-chan..._' I told myself, trying to work up the courage. I was mear inches from her when I stopped, staring at her with a mix of determination and uncertainty in my eyes. "Mami-san..." I started, my eyes darting from hers, to her mouth, and then back. "I-" Closing my eyes I sighed. "Can I kiss you?"

She looked at me a bit like a movie director who had just seen a scene play out exactly how he wanted it, her lips curled into a smile while her eyes retained their cute roundness as they studied my everything. Her response came slow and methodical, just like I would have expected. "Why are you wasting your time asking?" She took the initiative and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm not letting you go until you do it." That wasn't something I could abide by, now was it?

One hand migrated behind her back, taking a light hold onto her blouse, just so she couldn't pull away, while the other hung onto her waist lazily, my eyes closed as I inched forwards ever so slightly, feeling her warm lips against mine, the lingering taste of her bitter, foreign tea still hanging onto her upper lip ever so slightly. I didn't want this to end, I wanted to stay here until my death, holding onto her and kissing her warm, tea-hinted lips for as long as I could.

Screw society. Screw the school. Screw EVERYTHING. I was in love with Tomoe Mami, and I couldn't give any less to what others thought. I was poor, deal with it. I didn't have a laptop like everyone else, deal with it. I love girls, deal with it. I would go to school with Mami today, and just before we parted ways to class, I would give her a goodbye kiss, right on the lips, and HOPE everyone saw.

Eventually, Mami pulled away, the sounds of our lips finally parting breaking my concentration. "Binbou-san... we're going to be late." Nudging forward again, I gave her a glancing kiss once more.

"Five more minutes... I don't want this to end..." Mami chuckled a little at this and complied, giving me another five minutes in heaven (Although it felt more like fifteen).

-Mitakihara Middle School; 8:54 AM-

Mami and I had walked to school, hand in hand, spending the trip talking about what interested us, finding common ground in pasteries and food in general (Lack of it for so long refines one's palate after a time), as well as our love of literature (I had taught myself to read and write years ago). We didn't break grip as we walked in, talking and laughing to one another, holding hands like boyfriend and girlfriend (With Mami's collected, more refined demeanor, she'd probably be the girlfriend), and not stopping to justify the stares we were met with.

"Well..." Mami finally spoke as we reached our respected classrooms, right across the hall from one another, the glass wall offering no obstruction to the classes inside to watch us with dinner-plate sized eyes. "See you after class, Binbou-san?"

"You can count on it. Can I meet you for lunch on break?"

"I'd be insulted if you didn't." She adjusted my ribbon a little, smoothing out some wrinkles on my shoulders. "I'll have a nice lunch for you when you get here, so don't tarry too long, alright?"

"And miss lunch with an angel? I'd be a moron." Mami nodded and smiled once more, her loving smile already a welcome sight. "See you in a few hours." I leaned forward and gave her a kiss, which was reciprocated instantly, her hand rubbing my side idly as we kissed for what felt like hours.

"Go on, don't be late." She finally spoke as we broke away, feeling the eyes of both classes upon us. Nodding, I took a few steps away from her and walked through the door to the classroom, everyone's eyes upon me as I entered, the same for Mami across the way. As the stares of the boy in front of me came to my attention, I gave him a crass little smile.

"I love her. Deal with it." I spoke simply, tossing my blond hair with my left hand.

-Everywhere, and Yet Nowhere-

An ethereal figure watched the scene playing out before her, a soft smile upon her infinite lips. She had been watching the older blond woman for some time, her new life playing before her like a movie with no pause or rewind function. Folding her forever arms at her chest, the woman gave a nod.

"I'm glad for you, Mami-san, to have found someone who loves you for who you are." Looking over the woman's ringless hands, she gave a slow nod, the force of which would have sundered the planet. "The life of a Puella Magi isn't for you. So full of love, so full of life as you are, Mami-san. I wanted to be selfish, to bring you into Heaven with me... but you can do so much more good down there... Leave the fighting to Kyouko-san and Homura-san... to Sayaka-chan and Hitomi-chan... leave all the death and destruction to those who've got nothing to live for. As for you, Mami-san?" Opening her celestial hand, she blew a hurricane into it, thousands of sparkling particles wrapped around the woman, draping her in a starlight twinkle. "You have something more important to do... Let those under Contract spread happiness to everyone... you've just got one person to make smile. And make her smile, Mami-san... just as you did for me all those lifetimes ago. Make her smile and never forget that she loves you." As she watched, the blond woman looked up to the ceiling of the classroom, past the tile ceiling, past the florescent lighting, past the roof, past the clouds, past the atmosphere... and her eyes met with her heavenly angel... the angel named Kaname Madoka.

Ending Author's Note #1: In case you all haven't picked up on things yet, I retconned Part One to fit with this one. It was originally Madoka and Sayaka talking, but I changed Madoka out with Hitomi to fit with the context of this part.

Ending Author's Note #2: If you're not fluent with Japanese, 'Binbou' means 'Poverty', so in essence when she says 'It's true', it really was. Also a little joke with the title of Part One, basically it's 'My Name is Poverty', shown by how broke-ass-poor Binbou-san was.

Ending Author's Note #3: A note about Binbou's striped panties. Shut up. I like striped panties.


	3. Part 3: Anything For You

Author's Note: I think I've got this thing for threesomes of oneshots. HA HA HA! Threesome. This one is gonna get much... *Clicks flashlight under his chin* Daaaaaaarkeeeerrrr... MWAHAHAHAHAHA *Cough, cough, cough cough, hack hack _**HACK!**_* Oooph... excuse me.

Part Three: "Anything For You"

My words hit me harder then the boy who was staring. '_Deal with it._' I said that. Binbou Marisa, a girl too poor to afford anything nice, who never had a backbone before now... said _that_. Turning away from me, the boy tried to shake what he had just seen out of his head, while solidifying it inside his memory for later. I felt warm inside, like someone had lit a dormant fire inside me, flames raging for the first time in my life. The teacher either didn't see the display outside of the classroom, or was ignoring it, because like clockwork, she started into one of her rants about love. This time, not distracted by the rumbling in my stomach, or the feel of month old clothes on my back, I had heard her rant, instead of just knowing the idea of it.

"...don't be one of those people who prefers their rice balls a certain size, you-!" She had snapped a point to a random boy in the class, who looked both shocked and horrified he'd been called on.

"D-eh... y-yes?!" He answered nervously, afraid at what the question might be.

"Do you like your riceballs small or large?" The kid stared blankly at her, then replied slowly.

"I... suppose it doesn't matter, as long as they're delicious...?" The answer was more of a question itself then a physical answer, but the presences of some response satisfied our teacher.

"Exactly! Boys, don't become a man who nitpicks about the size of his riceballs! And girls! Don't be one of those girls who feels inadequate because she doesn't make large enough riceballs!" I ran this through my head, the conversations I'd overheard from Hitomi and Sayaka tended to lead me to believe all of her lectures had some underlying meaning behind them, not just lecturing guys not to care about what they eat. Riceballs... My eyes wandered across the hall, through the glass wall, to the class across from us, my eyes falling upon Mami paying attention to her lecture (Well, I could see her stealing a glance or two my direction, but she was doing a better job at fake listening then I was.) I wondered how Mami likes her riceballs... small or large?

Oh, stars, now I'm sounding like the teacher. Riceballs, fried eggs... stars, the euphemisms she uses are almost shameful. Turning back into the classroom, I tried to pay more attention to the lecture, but the math lesson just didn't interest me today, for some strange reason.

Class passed with it's usual boredom, stacked on top of the added distraction of my Across-The-Hall Angel. When it finally ended, and the lunch bell rang, I collected what little things I had, my little tattered notebook, my four chewed, well-used pencils and my stubby, nearly gone eraser, and stuffed them into the worn bag I carried, walking towards the door.

"Binbou-san?" The teacher's voice came as everyone collected their stuff. I jumped at her voice, my bag clattering to my desk.

"Y-Yes Sensei?!" I stammered out, walking over to speak with her. She nudged me to take a seat in front of her, which I did. She politely waited until everyone was out of class before speaking to me. I stole a look across the hall, Mami in much the same situation as me.

"Listen, Binbou-san... the school's regulations about public displays of affection are pretty cut and dry for boy\girl couples, even more so for boy\boy and girl\girl couples. While I have no problem with your relationship with Tomoe-san across the way, I would like to ask you to please keep your displays, such as the one this morning, away from public eyes." She spoke in a calm, collected voice as I nodded.

"Y-Yes, Sensei... I apologize, Sensei." The teacher nodded and nudged me out of the class.

"Very good. Get out of here." I collected my stuff real fast and exited, Mami's lecture taking a might bit longer. She eventually exited her class with the same idle, satisfied smile she usually wore, playing everything off as it if didn't happen. When she saw me, her smile brightened, a small hand held out to me.

"Binbou-san. I apologize about the wait..."

"Oh! Oh, no wait at all... My teacher had to talk to me, too..."

"PDA?"

"PDA..." Mami gave a nearly invisible sigh, but her smile quickly returned.

"Well, let's not let that ruin our day, hm?" I felt my heart brighten with these words. I gave a nod as Mami held her hand out to me. Interlacing my fingers with hers, the pair of us started towards the cafeteria for something to eat.

"So... Binbou-san... did you have any plans for the weekend?"

"I just... usually try to stay out of everyone's way... I don't usually go anywhere."

"Well that changes today!" Mami declared, her grin widening if that were at all possible. "Tonight. You and I are going to go out to a nice restaurant, maybe go and see a movie, and make this Friday, the first Friday of the rest of your life." I couldn't help my eyes getting big, my mouth slowly hanging open.

"Mami-san... I..."

"Marisa..." Mami began, her grip tightening on my hand. "What did I tell you about protesting?" I stopped what I was about to say, and just gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Mami-san." Mami hummed a bit as we walked down the hall, my stomach ready for lunch again.

-Lunch-

Mami had bought us both lunch once again, the pair of us sat at a table with out delicious lunches, and after a word of thanks to Mami, we dug in. My stomach had gotten to the standpoint where it was starting to expect to be fed at the same time every day... I can't exactly say that I was hating it. The thought of knowing about when you'd get fed next _was_ a nice thought.

"Mmm..." Mami finally grunted, looking up from her bowl of rice. "That reminds me, Binbou-san... Have you ever seen an orchestra?" I blinked twice, chopsticks hanging loosely in my mouth as I took in her question. An orchestra?

"N-no, Mami-san..." Mami gave a slow nod, her eyes shut in gentle concentration.

"Would you be adverse to perhaps going to see a show with me tonight? I happened across a couple of tickets for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It's their last show of their tour, and they're playing here in Mitakihara." My heart leapt over itself to get an answer in, but my brain slowed my reactions so I didn't seem too anxious to up and go.

"I would love to go and see an orchestra with you." The smile on her lips, ever-present as an angel upon her shoulder.

"I'm glad." She answered simply, placing the empty bowl back to her tray, she interlaced her fingers and gave a slow nod. "We'll go and get you some nice clothes after school, and then we'll have the rest of the day to ourselves." She collected her tray and offered me her hand, a gesture if I was done. "Finished?" Smiling up to her, I handed her the tray and smiled.

"Thank you." I muttered to her as she started towards the trashcan to clean off the disposable napkins and paper wrappers the chopsticks came in, stacking the bowls upon the trashcan, atop the trays themselves and offered me her hand.

"M'lady." She smiled as I took her hand, her lithe, yet powerful body hoisting me back to my feet. She giggled a little as she pulled me into a hug, patting me on the back. "Have a good rest of the day at school, Binbou-san. Meet me out front at the end of the day, and we'll go and get you some nice clothes." Nice clothes? Oh my stars, was this 'orchestra' one of those... eh... what were they called? 'Black Tie Affairs'? I felt a lump form in my throat at the thought of Mami spending _even more_ of her money on me but... she always told me not to protest.

Class passed without so much as a notable fly passing through the class. The teacher continued to talk about things in a roundabout fashion, linking everything and anything to either food or her crappy love life. It was kind of amusing in some ways, but in others it was just plain damn annoying. I spent most of the class, my eyes glued to the wall, waiting for the time when class would get around to ending so I could spend more time with my Across-The-Hall Angel, Mami Tomoe.

As if some on-high diety heard my worthless plea, the bell chimed the end of school.

"Alright, everyone. Just remember to do all of your homework before you enjoy your weekend." The class drowned her words out with the rustle of bags as they packed up, ready for the weekend. I stood and collected my few books, stuffing them quickly into my ragged, patched message bag, then hurried out of class, looking across the hall, Mami seeming to have left herself. Maybe she had to use the restroom, or do some other chores. She _did_ tell me to meet her in the lobby after school, so the ladder wasn't too far from the possible truth. I trotted off towards the school's front, watching a girl in my class, Sayaka, talking to herself as she passed. It's... kind of eerie when she does that, just talking to herself like she's got an invisible friend or something.

I sat myself on a bench, placing my bag on my lap as I patiently waited. People were starting to clear out about twenty minutes later when I finally heard Mami's voice calling to me.

"Binbou-san!" I stood and looked about, finally finding Mami walking towards me, her bag in one hand, a smile upon her face. "I apologize about the wait, Binbou-san, my teacher had me running a couple errands for her. I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Oh! Oh no, Mami-san. It's a nice day today, so I don't mind waiting." Standing, I bowed to her as she answered with a little laugh. She placed a hand on my shoulder as I righted myself, her arm crawling around to the other shoulder, pulling me into a little hug as she started walking.

"Come on, I know a place to get you a nice dress. We've got to hurry though, because they'll close soon." I nodded as we started off campus towards the city.

She was right about one thing, we did have to be quick. Thankfully, since we were in both pretty decent physical condition, we managed to get to her store with a few moments of daylight left. She opened the door for me, bowing me in. "Ladies first." She said with a smile. I thanked her and stepped across the threshold, the lazy-looking woman across the counter looking up with the little chime of the bell above the door.

"Good afternoon, ladies. Is there something I can assist with?"

"Yes, actually. My friend and I are going to see a performance tonight, and we'd like to get some nice clothes. We were wondering if you could help us."

"Of course!" The woman chimed, standing and walking towards us smiling. "Which of you would like to go first."

"Please, Binbou-san. I insist you go first." I nodded a little, still remembering what she said about arguing or protesting. The lady held her hand out and took me to the back to get fitted.

The short of it is I spent about ten minutes in the back as the woman fitted me with the most extravagant black dress I've ever laid eyes on, touching up here and there, making sure it fit my paltry form well enough. When she was satisfied, she commanded I take it off and hand it over for packaging. As I redressed, I walked back out to see Mami talking to another girl who had come in. Judging by their body language, the pair knew one another.

The second girl was about her height and build, but with fire red hair pulled into a long pony tail down her back. "Ah, speaking of which... Binbou-san, would you come here for a moment?" I trotted over to Mami and bowed.

"Hello." I spoke, the girl giving an arrogant smile.

"Heya." She spoke.

"Binbou-san, this is Sakura Kyouko, an old friend of mine."

"Good afternoon, Sakura-san..." I bowed again, greeting the girl, who only seemed to chuckle.

"My, Twindrills, you've taught her well. Obedient little cutie, isn't she?"

"Now now, Sakura-san. Don't call her 'obedient', and don't call me 'Twindrills'. You know how much I dislike that name." Kyouko patted Mami on the back and reached into the inside pocket of her baby blue jacket, taking out a red box. She offered some of the contents to Mami, who politely turned it down. Turning the box to me, she nudged it forward.

"Have a taste... Marisa, was it?" I looked into the box, several small pretzel sticks covered in chocolate inside. I timidly reached two fingers in and pulled a single stick out, putting it between my lips and nibbling on it.

"Thank you, Sakura-san... and yes, my name's Marisa." Kyouko gave another of those smug kind of smiles that, for some strange reason, suited her rather well.

"You know..." She started, taking one of the pretzel sticks from her box, popped it in her mouth like a cigarette, then pocketed the box once more. "...Twindrills and I go way back."

"I'll let you two entertain each other, I've got to go get fitted."

"Fitted? Oh, you going somewhere fancy today?" I giggled a little, unable to contain myself.

"Mami-san and I are going to go see the London Philharmonic Orchestra tonight..." I answered, Kyouko visibly recoiling.

"The Phil?" She muttered, looking as Mami walked towards the back. "Kind of expensive for a first date, don't you think, Twindrills?"

"I found ticekts." She called back in that still low, but audible tone as she vanished into the back.

"Heh..." Kyouko muttered, crossing her arms. " 'Found tickets'. That's a good one, Twindrills." Kyouko turned back to me and motioned me to take a seat. "'Ere, take a seat, let's chat." As she sat, I took glimpse of the prettiest ring on her finger. A silver band with a beautiful ruby set in the top. As I watched it, the light seemed to play off the ring, creating a beautiful shimmer deep within it's core. I was entranced by how it captured and refracted the images of everything around it, seeming to almost glow. "You like it?" She asked, causing me to look up. I had, unwillingly, been staring at her ring.

"Oh... oh, yes, it's a very pretty ring." I complimented. I meant it, it had a way of just being so beautiful without being gaudy or attracting too much attention to itself. Kyouko smiled at my words and held it up so I could get a better look. I gingerly took her hand to steady my eyes as I looked. "Where ever did you get such a pretty ring?"

"Friend of mine gave it to me a couple years back. Said I'd never be lost without it." Turning her hand over, I looked on the back, a series of six runes on the bottom giving it a unique feel.

"These... symbols... what are they?"

"I was told it was an ancient language that's long dead. It's supposed to spell my name... see?" She traced out each of the runes, telling me it's letter equivalent. "K..." I had unwillingly committed those symbols to memory, along with their meaning.

"If I may... how did you meet Mami-san...?" I asked, releasing her hand back to her.

"Oh, Twindrills and I have known each other for about four years. Back then she I called her 'two by four'." I blinked at this.

" 'Two by four'? Why 'two by four'?" Kyouko gave a smile, this one more of a distant longing then anything, then continued.

"Because back then, she was as flat as a two by four. I don't know who or what she ate to grow up like that but damn..." She laughed as she drew the pretzel stick into her mouth and crunched it. "Needless to say, after she grew up, I couldn't call her 'two by four' anymore, so I chose Twindrills."

"Why don't you call her by her name?" I continued, Kyouko visibly freezing.

"I..." She started, before her face molded into a completely different emotion. Solemn regret.

"Sakura-san...?" I spoke tentatively after a few minutes of silence between us. Quickly, she drew her hands down her face, trying to mask it as a 'rub the sleep out of your eyes' stretch, but I could call it for what it was. I watched out of the corner of my eyes as a few droplets of water cascaded to the ground silently, discarded and unwanted.

"I think 'Twindrills' sounds better, don't you?" She gave a falsified smile, but behind her words I could sense some unknown pain at even the thought. Almost as if calling her by her name was too painful... or filled with some kind of sorrow. I dismissed my suspicions for now, giving a smile and a nod, agreeing with her for now. I couldn't tell if she, like I, could spot the lie, but I stuck with it anyway, just as she stuck with hers. Her eyes told me that she wanted to drop the conversation, so I did, slowly turning down to look at my knees. "So what do you usually go by? Marisa? Binbou?"

"Kids at school usually call me Poor-chan..." I heard Kyouko give a chortle. "W-what's so funny?"

"I'm sorry... I just... I thought it was ironic..."

"Cruel irony..."

"I don't think so, Poor-chan."

"Oh, not you too..."

"I mean it with the utmost respect, of course... You know, you and I are kind of alike in that department. I'm rather poor myself."

"You don't look like it... or eat like it." This caused Kyouko to erupt into a deep, bellowing laugh, her right hand covering her eyes as she did.

"Man, you really have been spending time around Twindrills... that's what she said. Naw, I lucked out. I have a friend who's parents were nice enough to let me stay. I do chores around the house and pull my weight, and they feed me." She crossed her arms after her laugh died, settling back into the chair. "I like the arrangement myself."

"Y-yea... Mami-san is... really nice."

"Incredibly." Kyouko responded to my idle notion quickly, nodding. "She's got a big heart in her. You're lucky she considers you a friend, you know. Twindrills doesn't get out of her apartment much anymore... she kind of blames herself for what happened to her parents." I blinked, quirking my head to the side at this. Mami never told me anything about her parents...

"Blames herself? How?"

"Oh, man, she didn't tell you?" I shook my head mechanically, blinking two more times. "Alright well look... it's not my place to say what happened, or really have _mentioned_ it, and I wouldn't have if I knew she didn't say anything yet. If you really want to know what happened, you'll have to ask her about it. If she wants to tell you, she will. Just... wait until after your concert. Don't want to kill the mood, you know." I nodded to this, agreeing with her statements. I heard a door open, Mami coming out of the back, her smile ever-present as usual. The girl who took my measurements came back with two boxes and set them on the counter.

"You ready to head home, Binbou-san?" Mami asked as our eyes met. I stood and gave a little nod. "Alright, let me just pay the nice lady here for the alterations, then we can head out. We should get something to eat before going to the orchestra. Sakura-san, would you like to join us?"

"For which? The orchestra, or dinner?" Mami chuckled a little at this before responding.

"Dinner. I've only got two tickets, remember?"

"And I wasn't first on your list of people to bring, Twindrills? I'm hurt."

"Actually Sakura-san, you were." She finished. I watched Kyouko look at Mami with a dumbfounded expression, her crimson eyes blinking a few times as this settled into her.

"Wait, I was? What do you mean I was the first person you thought of?"

"Just what it sounds like, Sakura-san. I was going to take you, but then I changed my mind."

"You can't just change your mind like that!" I followed Mami out, the boxes under her arms, as we started for her apartment, Kyouko trying to make head or hide of why she changed her mind the whole way. 'Simply put, Sakura-san...' she had mentioned halfway there. '...things changed.' I imagine the 'things' she mentioned changing was the introduction of me to the equation.

We had stopped at a restaurant on the way back for dinner, spending little time eating, as Mami and I had somewhere to be later and, judging about how she talked about 'band kid' (whoever 'Band Kid' was) she, too had somewhere to be. Mami and I said our good-byes to Kyouko as we went our separate ways. As we stood on the corner waving to Kyouko, I smiled to Mami and giggled a little.

"She's a nice girl."

"Mmmm." Came Mami's response as we started back for her apartment, happily full from dinner. "Sakura-san is... interesting. I hope she didn't bore you with anything while I was getting fitted. She's got a way of either boring people when she talks, or driving them away with something vile."

"Oh, no, she didn't bore me or drive me away. We just talked a bit about some things." Mami gave a nod, climbing the stairs to her little apartment, twisting the key in the lock to let us in.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it." Looking at the two boxes, she handed one to me and smiled. "You should get changed. We need to leave pretty soon, or we're going to be late." I nodded curtly and started for the bathroom to change. Slipping out of my school uniform, I folded them neatly on the counter and dressed in the long, black dress. There was a pair of matching shoes in the box as well, probably something Mami added in. I looked in the mirror, the outfit missing something. Reaching up, I pulled my hear into a bun, tied up with one of the hair pins she kept on the little tray on the counter. I looked about at my reflection. For once in your life, Marisa, you look respectable no... for once in your life, Marisa. You look like a woman.

"You almost ready, Binbou-san?" Mami's voice came through the door.

"Mm! Just finishing up now!" I responded, stepping out. "How do I look?"

"Absolutely fabulous." Mami responded. I took in what she had bought for herself, a well-tailored tuxedo that did a find job of accentuating certain portions of her body, and smiled.

"Nothing compared to you, Mami-san." I gave her a hug which made her laugh.

"We could sit here debating who looks better all day, but we've got a date at the opera." I gave a great nod, holding my arm out to her, which she took gingerly, and we started out.

-A Few Moments Later-

I knew I shouldn't. I knew I should have waited until after the performance, but... curiosity got the better of me. "Mami-san... Sakura-san told me... something happened..."

"Mm? Sakura-san running her mouth again? What did she tell you?"

"About..." I stopped and swallowed. "About your parents." She stopped as well, a few feet before me. I didn't know what she was thinking or what she was saying, but I just stared at her back, waiting for something to happen.

"What _exactly_ did Sakura-san say about my parents?"

"Nothing." I answered instantly. "She said if I wanted to know I... I should ask you." She nodded slowly, her twin drilled hair bobbing gently at the motion.

"Good on her." She responded, turning around. I studied her face for a moment, trying to see how exactly she took the question. She had a few tears in her eyes, but she seemed to, on the whole, take it in stride. "How about we talk about it on the way home, hm?" She smiled, but the trademark sincerety and kindness was somehow gone from it.

"Alright." I agreed as we continued on. We advanced upon a crosswalk, the little white man telling us it was safe for us to cross. We didn't even bother to stop and look. Since it was safe, there was no need, right? Mami had to take a few seconds to redo one of her buttons, and I went ahead a few feet. I turned to look at Mami as my left peripherals filled with a brilliant white light.

"_Marisa!_" I heard Mami call, the beautiful blonde woman sprinting towards me, and with a great shove, knocked me to the ground. I didn't hear the squealing of tires, followed by the sound of the heavy metal car slam into Mami's body, sending her about thirty feet away, clear into the intersection. As I lay there, hands on the concrete as I stare, all I could do was blink, my face turning pale at the sight.

The black asphalt was highlighted with a fairly large patch of red, blonde hair and tan skin amidst the crimson. Mami wasn't moving... she didn't talk or even flinch. "M-M-Mami...san...?" I managed out. The traffic was fairly light tonight, so those who were on the road managed to stop. "M-Mami!?" I continued, scrambling to my feet hastily. My shoes had been knocked off my feet by Mami's attempt to save me, making me able to actually run to her aid. "Mami! Mami! Speak to me!" I called, dropping to my knees in the blood, I rolled her back over, pulling her into my lap. "Someone! Call an Ambulance! Someone!"

"_ANYONE!_"

-Hours Later-

_Beep._

…

_Beep._

…

_Beep._

…

The intermittent beeping of the EKG meter was the only thing that broke the silence of the hospital room. It was early in the morning now, probably about one or two in the morning, but I didn't care. I couldn't sleep with Mami so badly hurt.

"_She's lost a lot of blood._" The doctors had told me. "_We can stabilize her, but at this stage, we don't think she'll actually pull through. She's got several broken bones, more then one internal injury, and possible brain damage..._" He spoke these facts so coldly, like she was just another fact on his list... almost as if she wasn't even a person. "_As it stands, Binbou-san... it'll be a miracle if she survives until morning._" I was now at her bedside, sitting upon a very uncomfortable wooden chair, her hand clenched tight in my own as I refused to give up on her.

"Don't you dare die on me, Mami-san... don't you..." I banished a tear from my eye, trying to retain my composure. "...Don't you dare die on me..." There came a light knock from the door, a tall, middle-aged nurse walked in, gently looking about. Her kind green eyes fell upon me with an understanding smile.

"I'm sorry, Binbou-san... I wasn't aware you were still here."

"Then why did you knock?" I asked miserably, my hands still gripping Mami's tight. The woman smiled a little, having been slightly caught.

"Force of habit. I'm sorry, but I need to check on Tomoe-san... I need to ask you to step out for about five minutes. You'll be more then welcome back after that." It had become routine these last few hours. They'd come in every hour on the fifteen to take her blood pressure, heart rate and a bunch of other things I didn't understand, so I was forced to step out for a few minutes. Reluctantly I released her hand and stood, silently moving the chair back to the small side table where it was. Nodding, I started out to the door with a nod.

"Alright then." I responded, the cheer drained from my voice. "I'll be on the roof." I ignored all outside stimuli as I walked to the to the elevator at the fall end of the hall, pushing the button to call it. The ride up was devoid of the usual music most elevators had (if that was because it wasn't playing any, or if I just couldn't hear it I couldn't be sure) as it slowly made it's way to the roof.

The roof of the hospital was a usual kind of place. A couple of benches decorated the gravel floor, a large fence circled around the edge to prevent people from jumping off. It seemed as though I was the only person there at the moment. I took one of the benches and leaned back, looking up at the sky, watching as a few clouds danced about in front of the full moon. One in particular looked as though it was someone's head, two large ponytails out it's side... dammit even the fucking CLOUDS are mocking me! I stood from my seat and vented my frustrations

"_**WHY!?**_" I shouted to whatever diety above would listen. "_**Why do you keep mocking me, fate!? Why? WHY?!**_" My hands grappled at the fence, shaking the chain links madly. In my rage, I had dislodged one of the rusted poles, snapping it off at the base, an entire section of the fence falling thirty stories to the ground below. Tears had started to roll down my cheeks, and even through the blur, I could see the streets below. All I had to do was close my eyes and-

No.

Mami would pull through this. She'd survive, and we'll pretend this never happened... hastily drying my eyes, I started back to the elevator to continue sitting at her bedside like a miserable lump of a woman. I rode the elevator back down three floors and six doors across to her room. Her charts were in the small basket outside the door, so the nurse must have left already. Opening the door, my eyes fell across a most queer sight, a beautiful woman, her long pink hair flowing down her back. She sat on the edge of Mami's bed, gently stroking her arm, her petite body hidden by her long, lacy white dress.

"Who are yo-" I started out at first, the woman pressing a finger to her lips, giving a soft 'ssssh...'

"You'll wake Tomoe-san." She spoke, her voice unlike anything I've ever heard. I took a wide berth around her as I went back to my chair, sitting in it quickly.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice much lower then before. The woman simply smiled, continued stroking Mami's arm and closed her eyes.

"Who I am isn't important right now. All you need to know in that regard is I'm very powerful, and I've been watching you and Tomoe-san for a very long time, Binbou-san." She reached over and wiped a small line of blood that was forming on Mami's forehead, the blood vanishing instantly. "As to your second question... I am here for both of your interests... Tomoe-san... she was to be spared this kind of young death... I removed her contract for the very reason to allow her the time to find someone to love... to be taken from her just before they were to confess to one another... I couldn't stand idly by as this came to pass."

"The doctor's say..."

"That she probably won't live until sunrise... yes I know." A gentle hand wrapped around Mami's, her thumb stroking the back of the girl's hand. "I know of a way to save Tomoe-san... but I won't lie to you, Binbou-san. It's very dangerous for you, personally." I blinked, but then tears started to stream down my face.

"How dare you." I groaned, standing.

"Excuse me?" The woman asked, her voice not betraying any kind of emotion to it at all.

"I said how dare you!" I barked, standing suddenly, the chair clattering to the tile floor loudly. "How DARE you toy with my emotions! How DARE you give me false hope, tell me that she can be saved! You're a monster! That's what you are! You're nothing but a... a... a demon dressed as an angel!" The woman on the bed blinked a few times, clearly taken back by my words.

"It is indeed funny you should make the analogy." She spoke finally, standing after giving Mami's hand one last squeeze. She began to move about Mami's bed towards me. As she did, it appeared as though she were gliding across the floor, the movement of her legs so subtle, I doubted there even was any. "You asked me who I am. To answer that question, I need to say one thing. In two hours, you will be visited by a small, white creature. He will offer you a contract. Take it."

"What is this?! You're nothing but a... a..." I had turned around to avoid making eye contact with her. "You're just a-" I turned around to deliver the verbal coup de grace, but when I had set eyes upon where she was, she had vanished. "Figment... of my over-active imagination...?" I heard no door close, no window was open and I was twenty plus stories in the air. Setting the chair back up, I moved it back to Mami's bedside, sat down, took her hands, and eventually... dozed off.

-An Unknown Amount of Time Later-

The sound of something fluffy swishing gently against the bedsheets before me slowly drug me out of my unconcious sleep. Cracking one eye open, I had noticed that it was still four in the morning. "Ah. You're awake." A male voice came. "It is as I was told... another wishes for the impossible to come true..." I turned my head to see a small white creature, about the stature of a cat, or perhaps a ferret, sitting on the bed before me. "Good morning, Binbou Marisa."

"What-"

"Not important. I have a favor I want to ask you." I blinked tiredly, but nodded.

"Alright."

"I want you to make a contract with me and become a Puella Magi!" I blinked again, this time out of concern I may have misheared.

"I'm... sorry?"

"I want you to make a contract with me and become a Puella Magi." He stated once more, plainly. "You can make any wish you want of me. You can become all powerful. You can have all the money in the world..." He slowly turned, still sitting, to face the unconscious form of Mami Tomoe. "But I suspect I know what you'd wish for..."

"_In two hours, you will be visited by a small, white creature. He will offer to make you a contract. Take it._" The words of the strange woman from before ran through my head once more.

"Let's say that... I believe you. Let's pretend I don't think you're a figment of my imagination, or that your a demon come to tempt me for a second..." I droned, blinking slowly as I tried to wake up. "What would I have to do to make this 'contract'?"

"Simple. Make a wish of me. I will grant it. Anything you want. Anything is possible."

"Like magic."

"Indeed." As I thought about this, I felt almost as if a hand had touched my shoulder, the sensation of something whispy, like hair, falling across my back.

'Think of your wish, Marisa-san. Think carefully of all aspects of it, and when you are ready, speak it. Then we may speak in full.' I blinked, shook my head, and suddenly felt very awake.

"I don't believe you're for real. I still think I'm dreaming, or you're some kind of sleep deprevation-induced hallucination but... What do I have to loose?" My eyes fell upon Mami's body, lying so still and firm... I could almost see the life leeching out of her with each stilted breath.

"I..." I started, my eyes never parting from her. "I want Tomoe-san to be completely healed from all her phsyical wounds... and to be protected from them forever." The creature's ears twitched.

"The contract is formed." The creature droned. "Now, Binbou Marisa... sleep." My eyes suddenly felt very heavy once again, and I found myself drifting off to sleep.

-Everywhere, Yet Nowhere-

"Marisa-san... Marisa-san, wake up." A somewhat familiar voice came to my ears, gently lulling me from my rest. I cracked an eye open, my sleep-ridden eyes falling upon a cute, young face framed with long pink hair.

"You're..."

"The girl from the hospital. Yes." She smiled. "I brought you here upon the formation of your contract... there is something you should know before you continue. Please... stand." I slowly sat up, finding myself in a lavish, double-sized bet with pristine white sheets. Putting my feet on the white shag carpet, I stood and met the girl. The room I was in was all white, though it looked a lot like a hospital, it wasn't.

"Where am I?"

"Heaven." She answered simply, smiling. "Well... Puella Magi Heaven, anyway..." She motioned behind me, which caused me to look. Lying on the bed beside me was Mami. She looked in the same kind of condition she woke up in this morning. "Before you ask... yes. She is very much alive. Thanks to your selfless wish, she will live many long years." The pink-haired woman walked... floated more like it again... around the bed to Mami's side, and placed a hand on her chest, just under her neck. Her pale skin glowed with an amber light as she withdrew it, an orb of pure glowing amber floating in her hand.

"What-"

"Sssh..." She smiled, floating back around the bed to me. "Let me see your Soul Gem." I blinked.

"My what?" With a little giggle, she reached to my left hand and drew it up. Sitting on my ring finger was a simple silver ring with a green gem set in the top. With a touch of her gentle hand, the ring glowed a bright emerald and turned into a fairly decent-sized egg-shaped gem, gold filament around the gem. Taking the egg-shaped gem in her other hand, she smiled to me once again. "I'm going to regret this in ten years but... the two of you deserve this." Crossing her hands over, she merged the gem with the glowing orb, the greenish hue of the gem suddenly flashing a brilliant yellowish-green before subduing back to emerald.

"There." She spoke once again, handing the gem back to me. "I have linked your soul with Mami-san's. So long as the two of you are in love... when the day comes when I must come and retrieve even you and release you from your contract... I shall take her as well, so you may forever live here together.

"Wait... when you said that you'll regret it in ten years..."

"I've already seen your demise, Marisa-san. I've watched your struggle for ten years, and you give them hell..." She daintly covered her mouth with a hand, smiling nearly invisibly behind it. "If you'll excuse my language."

"What do I..."

"It's simple. You've made a contract. You've become a Puella Magi. In exchange for Mami Tomoe-san's life, you will fight the demons that have made your world their home. When you finally fall, when you have finally fought your last battle, I will come and take you here. Where you will live forever with me, and those that have come before you."

"That's... fairly fair." The girl nodded.

"I think so." The door behind me clicked. "Oh, that's your gate home. You'll have to start pretty quickly once you get back. Kyouko-san and Homura-san let a couple get through, and their on their way to the hospital to kill your beloved Mami-san. If you want to protect her, you'll have to fight." Turning on my heel, filled with determination, I started for the door. "Oh... Marisa-san... do me a favor?"

"Hm?"

"When you see Homura-chan next... tell her I said hi... and not to give up."

"Do you have a name?"

"No. I used to. She will know it. Tell her... Madoka Kaname says hi."

"I will." I finished, stepping through the gate, I found myself back in Mami's room, the egg-shaped gem in my hand. Without waking up (As I was already pretty awake myself) I started to the elevator.

So this is how my life is going to be for the next ten years? Fighting to keep the love of Mami as mine? I'll take it. She's fought so much for me, sacrificed so much... I have to pay her back. I HAVE to show her I'm not useless. I'm no weakling, and I am NOT afraid anymore. I stepped into the elevator and started for the lobby, and with a thought, I found myself dressed in full gothic plate armor, light as a feather, but elegant and beautiful as well. I unsheathed the sword at my side and grinned.

To the Demons of this city and this world... I bid you welcome. Welcome to Mitakihara, city of light, love and longevity. I welcome you to the city of tomorrow and the lights and sounds of civilization. I welcome you, one and all, to these streets and these buildings.

I welcome you to your graves. I am Marisa Binbou. I have nothing but the love of a woman to call my own... and you can bet with the knowledge that I can never loose her... I've got nothing _to_ loose. So watch out, Shadows of Mitakihara. If you see me...

You're already dead.


End file.
